Educational card game



Feb. l5, 1927r R. F. SERGEL ET AL EDUCATIONAL CARD GAME Filed `Feb. 20, 192e WILLOW FAMILY (alfcacs) WILLOW FAMILY (5a/macerie?) WILLOW FAMILY (al/'caceiej WILLOW FAMILY (Sdl/aaece) C uttonwo od Weeping Willow zesmz'wmu "s W wtEvINa WILLOW wnauwoon C ""w" em :n wII Low www FE wscnmo wILLow A ,I AMER ICN ASPEN BLACK WILLOW CUTTOIIWDBD lz ZZ AninIcAII AsPEN OAK FAMILY INVENTOR5 Patented Feb. 15, 1927-.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RUTH F. SERGEL AND LINDA H. MEYERS, OF ITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

EDUCATIONAL CARD GAME.

The present invention relates to a game played with cards, and particularly to a gaine wherein the cards have a certain educa tional value whereby a gaine which is both instructive and entertaining is secured.

According to the present invention, it is proposed to have a game composed of a deck of cards divided into a plurality of suits, each suit being representative of a class or genus of natural objects. Each suit is comprised of several cards each bearing a pictorial representation of a different specie of natural object -in the genus of the suit to which .it belongs.

The nature of the invention may be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a typical embodiment of the invention, but the invention is not confined tothe particular arrangement therein designated or to the particular pictorial illustrations therein shown.

In the drawings: 1

Figure 1 designates all of the cards of' one suit or book in the deck, i

Figure 2 shows all of the cards in another suit or book; and f Figure 3 shows the cards contained in a third suit, which may be designated a master suit.

Referring to Figure 1, there is shown one complete book or suit of cards taken from the deck. As illustrated there. are four cards in this suit, although the numbenmay be varied as may be desired. The cards are designated as 2, 3, et and 5, and each card bears a designation 6 which is a suit or book designation. rllhi's designation pertains to seine scientific classification arranged according to a class or genus of natural objects. We have shown a game wherein plant or tree life is depicted and in Figure 1 have illustrated four different individual species of plants belonging to the same general class. This class or genus is the suit designation G. rIhe several cards 2, 3, et and 5 bear pictures-7, 8, 9 and 10, illustrating different species of plant life classified under the genus designation 6. Each picture bea-rs the name or species designa-tion of the plant or tree to which it relates. Each card also bears a list of the names of other species of plants or trees found in this particular genus and represented on other cards of the suit. This list of names is designated 11 in Figure 1.

Referring to Figure 1, it will be seen that there are lillustrated leaves from four different trees belonging to the willouT family or genus. These are the American aspen, the black willow, the Cottonwood and the weeping willow.

In Figure 2 there is illustrated another complete book or suit illustrating another family or genus of plant life. The several cards ofthe book are designated 12, 13, 14e and 15, and each hasthereon the family or genus designation at 16. Each Card also bears a picture representation of foliage, as indicated at 17, 18, 19 and 20, respectively. Each card also contains a list of the names of other plants or trees found in the same family, this list of naines being designated 21 on each of the cards and corresponds to the list 11 in Figure 1. In Figure2 I have illustrated, as an example, different species of the oak family.

. In the deck of cards there may be any desired number of books or suits, as illustrated in Figure 1 and Figure 2. AMost of the books or suits will have the same number of cards. However, it is preferred that there be at least one master suit having more cards therein than most of the other books of the deck.v I

In Figure 3 I have illustrated the cards of the master suit or book. It preferably has six cards if the-remaining books have four cards. Each of these cards, designated 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 and 27 is arranged .similarly to the cards shown in Figures 1 and 2, having a family or genus designation, at 28, and having pictures indicative of different species thereon, at 29, 32 and 34', respectively. Each of these cards also bears a list, designated 35, of the names of the other 'trees or plants in the master suit. All of the cards in the master suits, like all of the cards in each of the other suits, is representativer of a species whose family or genus is the .suit designation.

In playing the game there may be a deck composed 4of say fifty cards Aconsisting of twelve books, eleven of which have four cards each and one of which has six cards. The six-card suit or book may be designated the master suit.

` If four players are playing the gaine, cach player may receive a designated nu1nber of cards, say five, while the remaining cards are placed in the center of the table. The players then take turns in calling on one another for a given card and in draw- 4ing from the remaining cards on the center ot the table in an effort to complete suits or books. lVhenever a player completes a suit or book, he lays it tace upward on the table and the tirst player to lay a card from the master suit on that book takes or captures the book. inasmuch as there are a less number oit cards in the master suit than the total number' of books in the deck, the players may wait until several books have been laid i'ace upward on the table, one on top oi' another, and the iirst player to lay a card oi the master suit on the stack oi hooks which has accumulated will, with one card, take several books. he object ot' the game, of course, is totake the greatest number ot' books.

lt Will be seen that, in playing the game, the j )layers become taniiliarized with the dit'- ferent species ot natural objects in a class or genus and become familial-ized With the scientilic grouping of different natural objects. The invention is particularly Well suited to a game wherein trees and forms ot' plant li't'e are pictured., and is particularly instructive when used in a game where ditlerent forms ot' plant lite are shown. As a general rule, the leal ot' the tree or plant is pictured as it is the best general identifying means for any given tree or plant.

By reason of the tact that there is a master suit Whose total number of cards is greater than the total number of cards in any other suit or book, and by reason ot the tact that the total number ot cards in the master suit is less than the number ot books, the game may be made very entertainiirA as Well as instructive, for the reason that it enables several players to compete for the capture of several books at once, and provides a game `in which there is considerably more interest than a game wherein there are an equal number of cards in every suit.

lVhile We have illustrated in Figures l and 2 the cards from the Willowv and oak families, respectively, it will be understood that in a dec-k of titty cards there would be other families, such, for instance, as the maple, the Willow, pea, magnolia, olive, ivalnut, birch, rose, n'iulberry, and elm. W'e have described, such as insects or minerals; and

that ditlerent forms ol plant life can be depicted, the invention not necessarily being confined to trees or to the leaves ot' trees, but to include herbs and grasses and grains ust as well.

llle claim as our invention:

l. A gaine comprising a deck ot cards having a plurality of suits, each comprised ot several dillerent cards, each suit being designated by a genus of natural objects, the several cards of each suit being designated as ditl'erent species of that genus, one of the suits being a. master suit and having more cards ot the same genus than any of the other suits.

2. A game comprising a deck ot cards having a plurality o't suits, each comprised ot Iseveral diii'erent cards, each suit being designated by a genus o't natural objects, the several cards ot each suit being designated as diilerent species of that genus, one ot the suits being a master suit and having more cards ot the same genus than any of the other suits, the total number of cards in the master suit being greater than the number of cards in any other suit and less than the total number of suits in the deck.

A game comprisin g a deck ot cards hav-- ing a plurality ot suits, each comprised of several ditl'ereut cards, one card ol each suit bearing a pictorial representation ot one specie ot' natural objects in the general class ot' which the suit is composed and also bearing the naine of every other specie in that class, several oit the suits having the same number ot cards therein, one ot said suits covering a greater number of species than the majority of the suits.

ln testimony whereof ne have hereunto setour hands.

RUTH F. SERGEL. LINDA H. MEYER-S. 

